Vehicle-signal.



F. J. HOFF.

VEHICLE SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED APYLG, [EH8- 1,290,993, Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

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VEHICLE S{GNAL. APPLICATION FILED APR.6. 191a.

Patented Jan. 14,1919.

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FRANKLIN a. near, or rounesrcwn, OHIO.

vnnicnn-srenen e it known that I, FRANKLIN J. Horn,

citizeitof the United States, and a resident of"Yoi ings town, in the county ofMahoning an d '$tate of Ohio, h

ave invented certain new 'ahd useful Improvements in Vehicle- Signals, of which the following is a specifi cation.

b This invention relates to a signal or dir'eo tion indicator particularly adapted for use upon automobiles and the primary object I of the invention is to provide a signal which iscarried at the rear end of the Vehicle and p will'attract the attention of the driver of a .carorivehicle in the rear of the same, upon its operation, indicating the direction to be taken by the vehicle upon which it is mounted.

Aifii -thf' object of this invention is to provide a, vehicle signal, including a pivotally mounted plate having arrow' shaped openings cut therein, and a shutter plate .both ofwhich are operated by the longitudinal movement of an operating rod for Lshutter plate and the arrow carrying exposing one of the arrows and moving the plate upon movement of-the operating rod to its normal position to hide fron'1,v1ew and also render relatively invisible a sign'such as Slow down 30 sign is exhibited during the exhibiting of the arrow opening which i one of thej'a'rrow openings.

A further object of the invention is to mount a, translucent plate inwardly of the arrow openings and the sign, and to provide a housing'or casing of dark color so that when the shutter and arrow carrying plate "are movedjfor exhibiting one of the arrows and the' sign, both the arrow opening and the sign will stand out clearly.

A further object of the invention is to provide, a tail light for the vehicle which is .carriedby the indicator or signal structure and a portion of the lens of which is shaded 45.

i from the brilliance of the tail light and when the arrow is exposed. for detracting pref venting it fromiblurring the arrow indication.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the; following detailed description, taken -;.in connection with the-accompanying drawlugs, forming a part of this specification and in which drawings: g 7

Figure 1 is a view showing the applicationflof the signal to amotor vehicle. Fig.2 is an elevation of the signal.

' Specification ofLetters Patent."

and further taken on the Patented J an. 14, 1919. Application filed April 6. 1918. Serial No. 227,036.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A indicates a motor vehicle of the pleasure type, which carries the signal B at the rear end of the same. The operating lever and its companion mechanism C are carried by the vehicle in close proximity to the controlling levers of the same and where I it can be conveniently reached by the driver of the machine.

The signal mechanism B comprises a housing l the rear side 2 of which is removable, to permit access to the interior thereof. The front 3 of the housing 1 is provided with an elongated opening 4 the end portions of which are enlarged as shown at 5. The words Slow down are cut in the front side 3 above the opening 4, and a circular opening 6 is formed in the housing be low the rectangular opening 4. A red glass lens 7 is positioned in lens, co-acting with the light bulb 8 forms a tail light for the vehicle.

The front side 3 is provided with asecond elongated opening at the lower edge of the same along the ends and lower side of which are positioned guiding and supporting flanges 8 which carry a plate 9 in which is perforated the license number of the vehicle. A white translucent plate 10 is positioned within the housing behind the plate 9 to enhance the visibility of the license num bers and letters.

A plate 11 of white translucent material is supported by a suitable bracket structure 12 within the housing inwardly of the opening 4 and the words which are cut in the front side of the housing above the open .-v ing 4.

A plate 12 is pivotally mounted within the housing intermediate its ends .as shown at the arrows of portion 23 and a openings in the the rays plate is provided with an oval opening 14 which alines with the opening 6, and alsowith an opening 15 out therein which is the shape 01 crossed arrows having their heads pointing in opposite directions. An arm 16 is pivotally connected as shown at 17 to one lower edge of the plate 12 near one end thereoi and to an operating rod 18 as shown at 19. The operating rod 18 is slidably supported by suitable bearings 20 which are in turn supported by a bracket structure 21 and when the operating rod 18 is moved longitudinally, in one direction it will move one of the crossed arrow opening 15 into alinernent with the opening a, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, allowing the white translucent plate 11 to be exposed through the opening 4 and the arrow openin 15, causing a-white arrow to be exhibited, the head of which points in the direction' to be taken by the vehicle.

A shutter plate 20 is slidably mounted within the housing 1 and it is provided with an elongated opening 22 shaped identical with the opening 4, and providing an upper lower portion 2 1. The upper portlon 23, when the rod 18 is in its normal position is positioned directly behind the words Slow down, cutting off the eX- hibiting of the translucent panel 11 through the letters of this word while the lower portion 24: is positioned behind the opening 4, cutting of? the exhibiting of the white translucent plate through this opening. An arm 25 is pivotally mounted within the housing 1 and it comprises arms 26 and 27, the former of which is connected to the shutter plate 22 near its terminal by suitable pins 28, for moving the shutter plate vertically upon rocking movement of the lever. The arm 27 of the lever 25 carries a pin 30 which rides over the edges and apex of a substantially triangularly shaped plate 31 which is carried by the operating rod 18. The pin 30 engaging the edges of the triangular plate 31 rocks the lever 25 upon longitudinal movement of the operating rod 18 for shifting the position of the shutters 22 and permitting or cutting off the exhibition of the translucent plate 11 through the various front side 3 of the housing.

The shutter'22 is provided with a cut-out portion 32 extending upwardly from its lower end, and registering with the oval opening 14 and the lens opening 6 to permit from the lamp 8 to pass-through the entire lens when the shutter is forming a closure for the opening 4. When the shutter 22 is lowered, at which time the plate 12 is rocked to move one of the crossed arrows into alinement with the openin 1, the shutter formsa closure or curtain or the upper head of the opening 6, cutting off a part of the tail light and preventing the rays from the light through tion of a person In the rear of operator of the vehicle may conveniently reach and operate the lever the use of an electric lamp.

the lens 7 from blurring or interfering with. the visibility of the arrow opening and also detracting the attenthe car from the tail light to the arrow opening. The rays from the lamp 8, will, when this lamp is lighted pass through the translucent plate 11 and further enhance the visibility of the arrow and the words Slow down.

The rod 18 is connected to an operating lever 33, intermediate the ends of the lever. The lever 33 is pivotally connected at its lower. end, to a bracket 3 1 which may be carried by the vehicle body in close proximity. tozthe drivers' seat, so that the driver or 33. The lever 33.is mounted to be swung in either direction, from its normal vertical position for operating the rod 18 in either direction, depending upon the direction to be taken by the vehicle, for moving the arrow openings into alinement with the opening 4: causing the arrow which-points toward the direction to be taken by the vehicle to be exposed behind the opening 4. For example; when the vehicle carrying the improved signal is going to turn to the left, the lever'33 is operated for moving the operating rod 18 and projecting the arrow. opening 15 behind the opening 4, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and when the vehicle desires to turn to the right, the lever 33 is operated in the 0pposite direction, which will rock the plate 12 to movethe other of the arrows into alinement with the opening 1.-

Spiral springs 36 and 37 are connected to the lever 33 and to arms 38 carried by the bracket 34:. The springs36 and 27 return v the lever 33 to its normal vertical position, after it has been operated and a spiral spring 39 is coiled about the rod 18, forming as a guard and guide for the movement of the lever.

The lamp 8 derives its ower from the battery D of the vehicle or rom any desired source, this invention not being restricted to What is claimed is:

1. In a vehicle signal, the combination with a housing having an elongated exhibiting opening and a plurality of openings above saidexhibiting opening and shaped to 150,

form words, of'a plate pivotally mounted within said housing and carrying crossed indications, means for rocking said plate to move one of said indications in registration with said elongated opening, and means 126 closing said exhibiting openings when said arrow indications are out of registration with elongated opening.

- 2. In a vehicle signal, the combination, of a housing having an exhibiting opening. a 130 plate pivotally mounted within said housing and provided with openings forming crossed arrows, means for operating said plate to move one of said arrow openings in registration with said exhibiting opening, a shut ter for normally closing said exhibiting opening, and operating means for synchronously operating said plate and shutter to move the shutter from registration with said opening upon movement of the plate to move one of said arrow openings into registration with the exhibiting opening.

3. In a vehicle signal, the combination, of a housing having an exhibiting opening, a plate pi votally mounted within said housing and provided with openings forming crossed arrows, means for operating said plate to move one of said arrow openings in registration with said exhibiting opening, a shutter for normally closing said exhibiting opening, operating means for synchronously operating said plate and shutter to move the shutter from registration with said opening upon movement ofthe plate to move one of said arrow openings into registration with the exhibiting opening, and a white translueent plate positioned within said housing inwardly of said shutter and pivoted plate and adapted for exhibition through one of the openings in the pivoted plate and the exhibiting opening to enhance the visibility of the arrow shaped openings.

at. In a vehicle signal, the combination, of a housing having an exhibiting opening and a tail light opening, direction indicating means for registration with said exhibiting opening, a shutter for closing said exhibiting opening, said shutter closing a portion of said tail light opening when moved out said shutter out of registration with said exhibiting opening and into partial registration with said tail light opening.

6. In a vehicle signal, the combination, of

a plate pivotally' a housing having an exhibiting opening and a tail light opening, a plate pivotally mounted within said housing and provided with crossed arrow shaped openings, means for rocking said plate to move one. at a time of said arrow-shaped openings in registration with said exhibiting opening, a shuttor for closing said exhibiting opening, means for operating said shutter synchronously with the rocking of said plate to move said shutter out of registration with said exhibiting opening and into partial registration with said tail light opening, a White translucent plate positioned Within said housing inwardly of said exhibiting opening, said housing provided With a second exhibiting opening below said tail light opening, and guiding and supporting flanges extending partially about said second exhibitin opening. 1

FRANKLIN J. HOFF. 

